Lori Loughlin

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person Lori Anne Loughlin<ref name= "tvg" /> (Template:IPAc-en; born July 28, 1964)<ref name= "tvg">Template:Cite magazine</ref> is an American actress. From 1988 to 1995, she played Rebecca Donaldson Katsopolis on the ABC sitcom Full House, and reprised the role for its Netflix sequel Fuller House (2016–2018). Loughlin is also known for her roles of Jody Travis in The Edge of Night (1980–1983), Debbie Wilson in The CW series 90210 (2008–2012), Jennifer Shannon in the Garage Sale Mystery television film series (2013–2018), and Abigail Stanton in When Calls the Heart (2013–2019). She was a co-creator, producer, and star of the two seasons of The WB series Summerland (2004–2005).<ref name="wapo-summerland">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2020, Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal.<ref name=guiltyplea /> She was sentenced to two months in prison, and was released in December 2020. As the case progressed, she lost acting and sponsorship roles, but after her release, she resumed her career and appeared in several television films and series including episodes of Blue Bloods, Ted, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and a recurring role in On Call.

Early life

Loughlin was born in Queens, New York and moved to Oceanside on Long Island when she was one year old.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Later, her family moved to Hauppauge, NY. She has one younger brother, Roy,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and is of Irish descent;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> their parents are Lorellee and Joseph Roy Loughlin,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> a foreman for the New York Telephone Company.<ref name="nytimes1981">Template:Cite news</ref>

Loughlin attended Oaks School No. 3 Elementary School in Oceanside, New York, and graduated from Hauppauge High School.<ref name=nytimes1981/>

Career

File:Lori Laughlin.jpg

Loughlin at a 1986 shoot for the television film Brotherhood of Justice

Loughlin became interested in acting as a young child;<ref name=wapo-summerland /> she began her career at age 11 as a print model,<ref name="TCM">Template:Cite web</ref> recalling: Template:Blockquote

At 15, she was cast in the ABC soap opera The Edge of Night, playing the part of Jody Travis, an aspiring dancer,<ref name="TCM"/> appearing in the series from 1980 to 1983.<ref name=tvg /> From 1983 to 1988, Loughlin appeared in more than a dozen feature films and television guest spots. She starred in the 1986 BMX classic, Rad.

From 1988 to 1995, Loughlin was cast in the ABC sitcom Full House as Rebecca "Aunt Becky" Donaldson, Danny Tanner's (Bob Saget) co-host, and later, Jesse Katsopolis's (John Stamos) wife. She was initially set for a six-episode arc but then became a regular after becoming a popular character on the series.<ref name=tvg /> A few months after Full House ended, Loughlin co-starred with Tony Danza in the ABC sitcom Hudson Street (1995–96). The series was cancelled after one season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1993, she starred in the television adaptation of Sidney Sheldon's novel A Stranger in the Mirror, a Template:Lang on Groucho Marx and Erin Fleming,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in which Loughlin plays Fleming's role. In 1997, she starred alongside Bruce Campbell in the film In the Line of Duty: Blaze of Glory. In 2000, Loughlin co-starred opposite Treat Williams in the Fred Olen Ray-directed thriller film Critical Mass. She also guest starred in Suddenly Susan, Spin City, Seinfeld, The Drew Carey Show, and as the superhero Black Canary in the Birds of Prey series in 2002.

From 2004 to 2005, Loughlin co-created, produced, and starred in The WB drama series Summerland. She played Ava, the aunt who raises three children after their parents die in a car accident. The series was canceled after two seasons due to low ratings on July 11, 2005. In 2007, Loughlin co-starred in the ABC sitcom In Case of Emergency with David Arquette. She appeared in the film Moondance Alexander (2007), co-starring with her former Summerland castmate Kay Panabaker. Loughlin also was in attendance at Comedy Central's The Roast of Bob Saget which was hosted by John Stamos and premiered on August 17, 2008. At her table were Full House co-stars Dave Coulier and Jodie Sweetin. In 2010, Loughlin starred in the television film Meet My Mom, which premiered on the Hallmark Channel on Mother's Day.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> For the network, she most notably starred in the drama When Calls the Heart and the telefilm series Garage Sale Mystery before she was fired in 2019.<ref name="Fired">Template:Cite web</ref> On April 10, 2019, it was reported that When Calls The Heart would be returning after a production hiatus without Loughlin's character.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

She co-starred in seasons one through three of the Beverly Hills, 90210 spin-off 90210 as Debbie Wilson from 2008 to 2011. She reprised her role in the season five premiere episode in 2012.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Loughlin made a brief appearance as Aunt Becky, alongside John Stamos as Jesse Katsopolis, on a July 2013 episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, following a reunion performance by Jesse and The Rippers.<ref>Template:Cite episode</ref> In 2016 she guest-starred in an episode of Blue Bloods,<ref name="BlueBloods">Template:Cite web</ref> and that same year began appearing as Rebecca in the Full House sequel series Fuller House from seasons 1 through 4.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As a result of her involvement in the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal, the Hallmark Channel terminated their on-going business relationship with Loughlin on March 14, and edited out her previously recorded scenes from the yet un-aired season six of When Calls the Heart. On March 16, Netflix dropped her from Fuller House,<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> and technology firm Hewlett-Packard announced it would remove Loughlin and her daughter Olivia Jade Giannulli from its advertising.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref> After pleading guilty and serving two months in prison, she was released in December 2020.<ref name="NBCBA">Template:Cite news</ref>

Loughlin then resumed her acting career, appearing in the in the late 2021 second season premiere of When Hope Calls by GAC Family, reprising her role as Abigail Stanton, her character from When Calls the Heart.<ref name="reintro">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="deadline">Template:Cite web</ref> She later appeared in other GAC original movies.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Since then she has appeared in several television films and series, including another episode of Blue Bloods, "New York Minute," which aired on November 8, 2024. In that episode she again played Grace Edwards, the widowed mother of Louis Edwards.<ref name="BlueBloods" />

Personal life

Loughlin is Catholic.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She married investment banker Michael R. Burns in 1989, and they divorced in 1996.<ref name="filmref">Template:Cite web</ref> Two days before Thanksgiving 1997, Loughlin eloped with fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, the creator of the Mossimo clothing line, whom she met in 1995.<ref name="TCM" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They have two daughters, Isabella Rose and Olivia Jade,<ref name= tvg /> and Loughlin is a stepmother to Gianni, Giannulli's son from a previous marriage.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Olivia has a YouTube channel and an Instagram account, both with more than 1 million subscribers/followers Template:As of.<ref name="usa">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="today">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Olivia Jade Template:Webarchive on YouTube.</ref>

In 2020, Loughlin and her husband Giannulli sold their Bel Air estate for $18.75 million to Tinder co-founder Justin Mateen. The home was built in 1929 and was previously lived in by Harry Cohn, Johnny Hyde and Charles Bronson.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In October 2025, it was revealed that Loughlin and Giannulli had separated after almost 28 years of marriage, but had not yet filed for divorce.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

2019 arrest

Template:Main Loughlin and her husband Giannulli were indicted by the FBI and U.S. Attorney for fraud and bribery offenses on March 12, 2019, in a nationwide college bribery scandal.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The following day, Loughlin and her husband surrendered to federal authorities in Los Angeles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On May 22, 2020, Loughlin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and her husband pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and honest services wire and mail fraud.<ref name="guiltyplea">Template:Cite web</ref>

Sentencing took place on August 21, 2020. Loughlin was sentenced to two months in prison while her husband was sentenced to five months.<ref name="npr-sentencing">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She served her two-month prison sentence at FCI Dublin in northern California from October 30, 2020<ref name="prisontime">Template:Cite news</ref> to December 28, 2020.<ref name="NBCBA" /> At that time she was given a two-year supervised release, which expired in December 2022. In addition, she was fined $150,000 and ordered to complete 100 hours of community service upon her release.<ref name="thehill">Template:Cite news</ref> Giannulli was sentenced to five months in prison, fined $250,000 and ordered to complete 250 hours of community service. Giannulli reported to prison on November 19, 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On April 2, 2021, he was released to home confinement before completing his sentence on April 16, 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Loughlin's daughters were able to remain enrolled at USC.<ref name=":0" />

Additional fall-out occurred when Loughlin and Giannulli were named as defendants in a private class-action lawsuit brought by Stanford University graduates, who alleged their education and degrees had been devalued due to their school's association with the case.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Loughlin poked fun at herself and the scandal in a cameo appearance in Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 12, Episode 6, "The Gettysburg Address"), where having been sponsored to get into an exclusive golf club she then fakes having a disability, cheats at the game, and issues bribes to get popular tee times.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1983	Amityville 3-D	Susan Baxter
1985	Template:Sortname	Abby McWilliams
	Secret Admirer	Toni Williams
1986	Rad	Christian Hollings
1987	Back to the Beach	Sandi
1988	Template:Sortname	Tara Mitchell
1997	Casper: A Spirited Beginning	Sheila Fistergraff	Direct-to-video
	In the Line of Duty: Blaze of Glory	Jill Erickson
2000	Critical Mass	Janine
2001	Suckers	Donna Deluca
2006	Farce of the Penguins	Melvin-Smacking Penguin	Voice, direct-to-video
2007	Moondance Alexander	Gelsey Alexander
2009	Old Dogs	Amanda
2013	Crawlspace	Susan Gates

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1980–1983	Template:Sortname	Jody Travis	Regular role: June 1980 to December 1983
1982	Matt Houston	Sue Landa	Episode: "Shark Bait"
1983	Template:Sortname	Linda Craig	Television film
1985	North Beach and Rawhide	Candy Cassidy	Television film (CBS)
1986	Brotherhood of Justice	Christie	Television film (ABC)
1986–1987	Template:Sortname	Jenny Morrow	2 episodes: "Prelude" and "First Light"
1986, 1988	CBS Schoolbreak Special	Kelly, Sally	2 episodes
1987	Template:Sortname	Jenny Gavin	Television film (CBS)
1988	CBS Summer Playhouse	Tammy	Episode: "Old Money"
	Great Performances	Kay Cork	2 episodes
1988–1995	Full House	Rebecca Katsopolis	Recurring role: season 2; main role: seasons 3–8. 150 episodes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1992	Doing Time on Maple Drive	Allison	Television film (Fox)
	To Grandmother's House We Go	Win-O-Lotto Lottery Hostess	Television film (ABC)
1993	Empty Cradle	Jane Morgan	Television film (ABC)
	A Stranger in the Mirror	Jill Castle	Television film (ABC)
1994	One of Her Own	Toni Stroud	Television film (ABC)
1995	Abandoned and Deceived	Gerri Jensen	Television film (ABC)
1995–1997	Hudson Street	Melanie Clifford	Main role
	Tell Me No Secrets	Jess Koster	Television film (ABC)
	In the Line of Duty: Blaze of Glory	Jill Erickson	Television film (NBC)
	Template:Sortname	Herself	Episode: "The Prank"
	Suddenly Susan	Paula	Episode: "With Friends Like These"
	Template:Sortname	Leslie	Television film
	Seinfeld	Patty	Episode: "The Serenity Now"
1997	Medusa's Child	Dr. Linda McCoy	Television film (ABC)
2001	Cursed	Natalie Keith	Episode: "...And Then They Tried to Make Some Rules"
	Spin City	Michelle	3 episodes
2002	Birds of Prey	Carolyn Lance / Black Canary	Episode: "Sins of the Mother"
	Template:Sortname	Robin	2 episodes
	Eastwick	Sukie Ridgemont	Television film
2004	Justice League Unlimited	Dr. Tracy Simmons	Voice, episode: "The Greatest Story Never Told"
2004–2005	Summerland	Ava Gregory	Lead role
2005	Missing	Dr. Joy Gribben	Episode: "Anything for Baby"
2006	Jake in Progress	Lindsay	Episode: "The Two Jakes"
	Ghost Whisperer	Christine Greene	Episode: "Demon Child"
2007	In Case of Emergency	Dr. Joanna Lupone	Main role
2008–2012	90210	Debbie Wilson	Main role: seasons 1–3
2010	Soldier Love Story	Dana Marshall	Television film (Hallmark)
2013	Template:Sortname	Rebecca Mayer	Television film
	Psych	Dr. Joan Diamond	Episode: "Nip and Suck It"
	Major Crimes	Rebecca Slater	Episode: "The Deep End"
	Addicts Anonymous	Mrs. Goldberg	Episode: "Choices"
2013–2020	Garage Sale Mystery	Jennifer Shannon	Television film series (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
2013–2019	When Calls the Heart	Abigail Stanton	Main role, seasons 1–6 and pilot movie
2014	Template:Sortname	Tina Giannulli	Episode: "High School Reunion"
2014	Enlisted	Herself	Episode "Alive Day"Template:Citation needed
2015	Northpole: Open for Christmas	Mackenzie Warren	Television film (Hallmark)
2016, 2024	Blue Bloods	Grace Edwards	2 episodes
2016	Every Christmas Has a Story	Kate Harper	Television film (Hallmark)
2016–2018	Fuller House	Rebecca Katsopolis	Recurring role: 13 episodes
2018	Homegrown Christmas	Maddie Finley	Television film (Hallmark)
2021	When Hope Calls	Abigail Stanton	Main role; 2 episodes
2023	Fall Into Winter	Kerrie Murphy	Television film (Great American Family)
	Blessings of Christmas	Mandy Gilmore
2024	Ted	Herself	1 episode; Archive footage
	Curb Your Enthusiasm	Herself	1 episode; "The Gettysburg Address"
2025	On Call	Lieutenant Bishop	Main role; 8 episodes

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Nominated work	Result	Template:Abbr
1987	Young Artist Awards	Michael Landon Award	CBS Schoolbreak Special	Template:Won	<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>
1989	Daytime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special	CBS Schoolbreak Special	Template:Nom	<ref name=":1" />
2006	PRISM Awards	Best Performance in a Drama Series Storyline	Summerland	Template:Won	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2009	Teen Choice Awards	Choice TV Parental Unit	90210	Template:Nom	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

External links

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• Template:Cite web